2006 Saturn ION Reviews from North America

- Changed brakes and rotors - dirt cheap - at $110 for all parts, and I changed it all myself very easily!!

- Tire change - no big deal.

Very happy with the car overall!! I'm a 6'2" man and there's plenty of space for me, but the kids get squished somewhat in the back seat.

The suicide door system is nice and great when you need to put something big in the car. Also all the seats go down flat, so there's tons of space!!! The only thing with the suicide doors is that the people in the back have a hard time opening the door to get out.

Canadian winters can be very tough, but this car had no issues starting and handling over the winter!!

Parts are very cheap!!!

Front disc brake & pad change; $120, great price, very easy do it yourself.

Oil change, $80, synthetic.

That's it.

I've had this car for about one year now, and am very satisfied. Due to people being nervous about the company issues, I got a great deal on the purchase!! Let them be nervous, parts are always available. Easy to work on, and the body will never rust!!!

The suicide doors provide great access to placing large items in the car, and all the seats fold down flat, so it's great to lug stuff around!!!

The only negative thing I can think of is the clutch is very touchy, and I tend to stall the car from time to time.

Hope this helps!

Replaced the battery at 80,000.

Security system can shut down the ignition for no reason, even with the original key. I have to wait 10 minutes to try again. This is aggravating. The problem has only happened in winter (when I most want to warm it up). It's been OK since the weather has warmed, and we've decided to leave it alone. It does keep me from totally trusting this vehicle.

The word "generic" is perfect to describe this car. It's kinda cute with the suicide doors and the sunroof. For most purposes it's certainly good, but nothing really stands out.

Those suicide doors leave the rear passengers trapped. They can only get out if the front door is opened. They're inconvenient to use if you just want to toss groceries or paperwork on the back seat.

It's comfortable on the highway, and doesn't feel as small as it is.

Acceleration is modest, and the fuel economy is not as good as I expected; only low 30s MPG at 55-65MPH. For a car this small, I expected mid to high 30s, especially since we drive it pretty easy.

No big problems, nothing really outstanding, just middle-of-the-pack. My mechanic gives Saturn good reviews, but it hasn't given him any work yet, other than oil changes.

My cylinder block has cracked.

My transmission had to be changed at 70000 km.

Check engine light due to misfire, so I had to change the spark plugs and wiring.

Link kit twice.

Clutch pedal spring.

Handbrake cable (entirely my fault).

I am a full time student, and I need my money. But unfortunately, it all goes into my 4 year old Saturn.

The transmission has been changed recently for 2000$, and I have to change my cylinder block soon.

My link kit, well it must be fragile, because it broke down for no apparent reason twice. The gearbox is rough and cheap compared to many cars I've driven. Mini's, Audi's, Mitsubishi's, and even a cheap old Mazda Protégé's gearbox were more decent than this one. Then the suspension is too soft.

And finally, since I live in Québec, snow is present 4 months a year, and I enjoyed drifting in the snow. Drifting = handbrake. Handbrake drifting = broken handbrake cable.

Through the months I owned this car, I've noticed that it is very powerful for its price, but if you unleash the power, it WILL go wrong.

What's good about the car?? Well the sound system is decent when seated in front, the windshield washer is spread well on the windshield, resists small impacts like a champion, and... that's it.